What could have been, and what will be
by monkeygirl77
Summary: AU! Lucifer doesn't kill Gabriel, but instead gets him to join his side. While the end of all days draws ever nearer Castiel comes up with plan to fix everything so nobody has to die. But his spell doesn't work as it should. Leaving the fledgling the archangels raised in a coma state.


**So a big thank you to MSU82 for the prompt! You rock girl! keep 'em comin! **

**OH and I am sorry, but I kind of changed it up a bit, when Cas does what he's gonna do (MSU knows what Imma saying) I had him change into that of a child. Not really a child per say, just not an adult. Cause in my head/canon I picture Cas as being younger then he (or his vessel) portrays him to be. Like early to late teens. **

**Now without further audieu and thanks to the prompter who gives me such awesome prompts. **

**The story!**

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><p>As he gazed down at the young body laying unmoving in the bed, Gabriel couldn't help but think this was all his fault.<p>

Even if it technically wasn't his fault as much as it had been Michael and Lucifer's.

He still couldn't stop himself from feeling somewhat responsible for it. Like, if he had stuck around maybe this could have been avoided. Or if Lucifer had killed him instead of getting him to join sides with him on that day back in the Elysian Hotel this wouldn't have happened. But, he hadn't killed him and Gabriel had joined his side (even if he never wanted to pick a side to begin with), that being said, look where he was now.

Gabriel stifled a sigh as he checked on the younger angels pulse again.

This entire thing could have been avoided.

Very easily avoided.

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><p>(3 months previous)<p>

"Brother don't make me do this"

The emotion in Lucifer's voice held more so then it had in so so long. If Gabriel didn't know any better he would have said that he almost sounded like he genuinely didn't want to do what he knew Lucifer was about to do.

"No one makes us do anything"

He knew it was a long shot at best. Lucifer had taught Gabriel everything he knew. So, as he tried to sneak up behind him blade at the ready, Gabriel knew perfectly well that Lucifer knew exactly where he was and what he was doing the entire time. That is why he wasn't as surprised as he should have been when he had spun around, he was more surprised when his own blade had pierced his shoulder.

"I am not going to kill you brother, but you will listen to me"

To be completely honest, it wasn't like he had much of a choice in the matter, with the blade still keeping him from moving and all. He listened when Lucifer told him he didn't want to fight, or at least fight alone, how he didn't want to kill his brother. Their brother. Any of them. He listened to him when Lucifer told him about how if they all just saw reason then they too would understand where he was coming from. What he was trying to do for them all. How they could be a family again and Gabriel could come home, all the earthen angels could come home.

"That could never happen"

"It could, if you join me"

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><p>Castiel knew he should not have trusted them. But with the final battle coming right around the corner he was still at a dead end on what he should do to stop it. Sam was gone, Lucifer was free, it was pretty much spelling itself out.<p>

Every damned word, right in front of them all.

So he did the only thing his mind could think of. He sought out beings who could possibly change what was meant to happen. At any cost, which was something that was absolutely sad, the lengths he was willing to go to get time to change itself. He went in search of the Norns. Norse Fate Gods who would help him and if not willingly, then help him once he threatened to end their existence.

He found them in an old mountain somewhere in Russia.

"Sister we have an angel in our midst"

"Yes Sister what can we do for you young angel?"

"To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Castiel was weary of asking these particular sisters for help. They were known for twisting whatever the person asked for into something that benefited them more then the actual requester themselves. But he was at a complete loss without their more times then not unhelpful help.

"I need to change something that is to happen"

One of the sisters made a face at his request.

"Change what is to happen?"

"Little Angel we cannot do that"

"Yes you can," Castiel interrupted their nonsense for he had no time for it, "Yes you can and you will tell me how or I will kill you"

They were silent for a moment before self preservation kicked in and they agreed in order to save their own backsides.

The first handed him a book, "With this you will collect the ingredients and learn the spell."

The second handed him a bowl, "With this you will mix the ingredients in the book with your own blood."

The Third handed him nothing, "You will need to use your own blade to get the blood. The self and willing sacrifice of the innocent is the only way to change the Grand Four from bringing about the end"

"And it will work?"

"It is the only way"

He thanked the Norns and left with his cargo. As he flew around the world collecting what he needed for his spell Castiel felt it, the battle lines, the sides taken. The announcement of someone joining someones side. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Gabriel signalling that he had finally joined a side (something he had thought would never happen) and what made matters worse, he had joined Lucifer.

He hurried to collect what he needed. Time was starting to run short.

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><p>The day had arrived.<p>

Today was the end of all days.

Gabriel was right next to him, Lucifer in Sam's body. Both decked out in armor, silken robes billowing around them as they stood, as they waited. In Gabriel's hand he held a horn, his horn, the one he was meant to blow when the apocalypse would commence.

The sun making the silver in the armor glisten.

Gabriel's a deep faded orange gold. Silver lining twirling back to hook behind him. Engravings with his name and sigils carved along the arm pieces. At his side was a magnificent sword, green jewels decorating the hilt, the blade itself the finest metal in existence.

Lucifer's own armor looked much like Gabriel's except a light icy color instead of a faded orange.

They stood taller as the wind changed direction. Something that only happened when a powerful being was entering the area.

Michael and Raphael had arrived.

They were clad in armor just like the first two archangels in the cemetery. Having failed getting Dean to say yes Michael seemingly went to other measures to get his vessel. Adam Milligan was a good soul and didn't deserve this but was sadly another casualty of their war. Michael gave Gabriel a cold look, causing the younger of the two to look away from his older brother.

"Gabriel, you abandon your post and then join our traitorous brother. Why am I not surprised?"

Lucifer spared his younger brother standing next to him a look, one of those raised eye brow 'you did what now?' type of looks. He had heard rumors of Gabriel's departure from Heaven, although had though them to be fake. Apparently he was the wrong one in this situation.

Gabriel knew he would never hear the end of his running away. But he had good reasons for doing so! Besides, he didn't really chose Lucifer's side, he just didn't think two against one was a fair fight.

That was all.

"Do not speak as if you understand him Michael. He wouldn't have had to leave had you cared"

Michael turned his gaze to Lucifer, "You are one to talk about showing how one cares"

"At least I had our best interests in mind! Why should we have to bow to those cockroaches!"

"That is what got you cast down! Disobedient-"

"You think your so big and powerful just because you cast your younger brother from Heaven? You may be eldest but you are no leader Michael"

"I am a good son"

Lucifer smiled a cold smile, "But are you a good brother? Tell me, Michael, the others, do they follow you out of love? Loyalty? Or out of fear?"

"At least I was there for them!"

"I could have been! No thanks to you!"

This was a commonality that shouldn't exist. And it was sad that it did. Gabriel was half tempted to leave, again, but he didn't in fear that Michael might kill Lucifer if he were to leave. Raphael looked tired. Done. Just as Gabriel. The younger of their four fell into the background as the fighting took domination over everything. Both younger archangels looked up at the sky as the once sunny day began to fade behind the heavy storm clouds. The wind was whipping the trees, hissing around their ears.

"Gabriel blow your horn, commence the battle"

Gabriel's eyes shot towards Raphael, after he had spoken, and gulped. That was right, Dad had given him the key to turn on the apoca-train to get her moving down the track. He reached down slowly, ever so slowly, and grasped the cool silver in his hand. Brought the horn up to his lips and-

"Hey assholes!"

All four attentions snapped in the direction of the voice and right back as a Molotov cocktail hit both Michael and Raphael. In all the chaos they hadn't heard nor seen the impala driving towards them.

There stood Bobby Singer and Dean Winchester.

The Molotov Cocktail did what it did best, and both Michael and Raphael went up in flames. Gabriel began quietly snickering as he lowered his horn from his lips, Lucifer seemingly didn't hear him as he spoke to Bobby about how he had just Molotov'd Michael and with a snap of his fingers snapped his neck in half. At least he died painlessly, right?

It was then that Dean Winchester tried to talk to Sam. Lucifer was still in complete control though, giving Gabriel a strange look as his snickering finally reached his ears. Gabriel was snickering a nervous (painful) snicker staring at the spot Michael and Raphael had been standing not only two seconds ago. If he were to be completely honest with you here (and he always is for he has no reason to lie) it kind if unnerved Lucifer.

Michael and Raphael returned just as fast as they had disappeared. Raphael giving Gabriel a strange look as he had apparently heard him snickering. What happened next is still a little blurry for them all, but, Gabriel had used his grace to keep Dean in place seeing as he owed him this because his brothers were pretty much goners. Michael and Raphael pulled their swords out and were just about to jump, mere inches from impaling the nearest angel when they heard it.

A pain filled wail.

A pain filled wail of an almost but not quite depleted angel. Both Michael and Raphael fell still, not having actually reached their intending target left them confused as to where the sound had come from. It was a sound of an 'almost not' angel, but as far as they could tell they were the only angels in the field.

There was no one else there.

Gabriel had almost forgot about Dean, he honestly had. But then the hunter shouted the very word in such a way that would scar them for the rest of their existence.

"CAS!"

The hunter found himself able to move again as his best friend flickered into existence. He froze mid run when he saw what was happening, or more precisely, what Castiel was doing.

Castiel was kneeling on the ground, blood gushing down the hilt of the blade sticking out of his stomach. His head was bent down over a bowl that was slowly filling with his blood and turning a soft green color. The archangels froze to the spot, after hearing nothing the young angel had looked up at them, and it broke their very hearts.

Castiel looked defeated, simply defeated.

They watched in a morbid type of way as his form flickered once more, his weakened grace trying hard to fix his wounds that his cloaking fell. Before them kneeled not a grown man, but a child. Small blue robes beginning to turn purple because of the flowing blood. His black hair stuck to his face as blood began dripping down from the corner of his mouth.

"Cassie?"

"It di-didn't work?"

Swords fell to the ground, feet pounded the grass, Castiel coughed and blood spewed from his lips.

Cas pitched forwards.

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><p><strong>Ok So... Kind of depressing... That was supposed to be the ending (He Died) but I simply cant live with my self if I kill Cas! So continue on my friends! <strong>

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><p>(Present Time)<p>

That was how Gabriel found himself here.

Sitting next to a bed in the Archangels portion of the Healing Pantheon.

_Castiel was dying. _

_They could feel his grace bleeding out, his very life force leaving his body. _

_Raphael was panicking, he didn't want to cause their baby angel any more pain, but without his tools in Heaven there was no way to save him. Michael carefully scooped the young angel into his arms and together they took flight. Lucifer and Michael leaving their vessels as the ascended. Michael tried to ignore the blood that was soaking through the front of his tunic, but it was hard, very very hard. _

They had gotten him up here and Raphael had tried his hardest, but Cas had already fallen into a coma. They tried to not leave his side or at leave him on his on but Heaven was in pieces still. They worried about their fledgling, sure, but they had to fix the rest of Heaven too. Right now it was only Gabriel. He had no doubts in his mind that the others would come later.

But he didn't want to leave just in case Castiel woke up.

Gabriel stood from his seat, robes rustling as he moved to lean over the bed. He ran his fingers through the soft dark hair and kissed the small forehead.

"Come on Cassie, show me you baby blues..Open your eyes for me little one"

But he didn't, just like he hadn't for the past three months. Gabriel pressed his lips to the cool forehead once more as he backed away with a defeated sigh. He didn't really want to go, in fact he had put it off for some time now, but today was the day he was told that they would restore the Messengers Tower and he had to be there for that. Being The Messenger and all.

"I'll be back later Cassie, the others will be with me too"

He wasn't sure if Castiel could hear him, none of them were, but they hoped he could.

**Two Hours Later***

Castiel's eyes fluttered open slowly.

Blinking a couple times as he took in the familiar scenery. He frowned when it finally clicked as to where he was and how he couldn't remember how he had gotten there. He sat up slowly, taking note that he was no longer in Jimmy, for he was in Heaven. He was shorter, smaller, younger, then when he was in Jimmy.

He sat up slowly, stiffly, and flinched slightly in pain as he pulled on the bandages wrapped around his torso where his tunic was meant to be. He flt the bandages with his hands and Castiel slowly explored the room with his eyes.

He pulled the blankets away and lowered his feet ever so slowly towards the floor. He might or might not have tumbled a bit as he stood up to quickly and got slightly dizzy. But he caught himself just as easily and made his way towards the door. He walked down the hall silently, not responding to the few healers who would try and talk him into going back to his room.

"Young Castiel, Raphael has said to keep you if you were to awaken, to alert him if they were not here"

But he ignored the new healer as he made his way towards the entrance and she continually tried to stop him until one of the older healers stopped her.

"He is the archangels fledgling, sister, they will not mind, let him go to them"

She seemed as if she wanted to protest a tad bit more, having been given orders and all, but decided against it. However, Castiel was already practically down the stairs by then and wasn't planning on stopping until he made it to where he was going, or they met him. He got looks as he passed but nobody said anything cruel. Nobody, save a couple older seraphs, said anything at all.

"Castiel? Your awake?"

He recognized the voice, Haniel.

"He's awake! Someone get Raphael! Someone get the Archangels! He's awake! Tell them he's awake!"

He kept walking the direction he knew them to be. He didn't have to walk long. Raphael met him half way, scooping him into his arms the first chance he got. Holding him close as Castiel wrapped his small arms around the healing archangel's neck. Burying themselves in each others scent, grace, arms. Arms wrapped him from behind, and two more sets around them both.

Raphael pulled back, tears in his eyes at the aspect and reality of having their fledgling back with them again. Rubbing Cas's cheek with his thumb, he spoke for all four of them.

"Don't you ever scare us like that again"

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><p><strong>And there's the end! <strong>

**AN:So I just wanna clarify and babble for a moment, the whole true form kind of confuses me a whole bunch and so in my fics whenever they are in Heaven or 'true form' it looks a lot like their vessels but with slight differences, like in Castiel's case, younger. Just thought I'd put that out there for any confusion although I do hope you weren't confused! :D**

**ANYWAY! Thanks again to MSU82! Your the best girl! Keep them idea's coming people! It gives me something to do (and is a defendant bonus that I just so happen to love doing them!) **

**Reviews**** are my life source! **


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